21 August 2015

Jessica was sitting on the dining table eating a plate of freshly cut fruits while absent-mindedly flipping through a booklet of new arrival products that she received from the event she attended earlier that day. She sighed when she saw pictures of colourful stilettos in the booklet. They reminded her of the abnormally tall heels her stylist made her wear to the event. ‘Seems like unnie is so determined to make me look 220 cm for real’. She thought of her stylist while stretching her toes against the chilly marble floor.

Jessica looked around for her phone when a familiar sound beeped from a distance. "Was that mine or yours?" She asked when she saw Krystal, who was sitting on the couch in front of the TV, doing the same thing. Her sister found her phone, looked at the screen and shouted, "Mine!"

Jessica continued flipping through the booklet, occasionally taking quick glances to her sister whenever she heard the younger girl giggling while texting. "I wonder if I also look that insane when I'm texting." She murmured to herself.

"Unnie." Krystal called her a few minutes later.

"Hm?"

"Klaire unnie asked me to tell you to check your phone." She said, relaying the message.

"What does she want?" Jessica asked, finishing her plate of grapes and sliced apples.

"I don't know. Just see it for yourself." The younger Jung said with a slight mischief in her tone.

Jessica put her plate to the sink, walked pass the couch, not forgetting to her sister's hair as some kind of a 'good night' wish before going in her bedroom for the night. 

She saw a few emails from work but thought that business could wait until tomorrow. She proceeded to tapping on the messaging application as there were messages waiting to be read. Jessica scrunched her eyebrows when seeing a photo Klaire sent her. It was a photo of herself from the event she attended earlier and Klaire commented two things: one, how did she look so tall? and two, she looked so much like Krystal there.

Their conversation went on with them childishly mocking each other, as usual. Until Klaire got serious, asking her how everything was with Krystal at home. Too lazy to type, Jessica called her, and it was answered immediately.

"What did she say to you?" She asked, didn't even bother to greet first.

"Uhm.."

Jessica could feel from her voice that Klaire was tense, probably thought she just got Krystal into trouble.

"No, we're fine. I only want to know what she said to you." She tried again, her voice turned gentler.

"Oh.. nothing much. She just told me about the fight. And.. I think.. she's in a difficult position and just needed someone to talk too. That's all." Klaire explained.

"I see." Jessica sighed.

"So.... have you guys talked? After that I mean." Klaire asked carefully.

"Yes, although sometimes I feel like she listens to you more than she listens to me." Jessica complained.

Klaire chuckled, "Only because you treat her like a child sometimes."

"She is a child!" Jessica said stubbornly, earning a scoff from the person on the other line. She then pondered for a while before asking, "Can you help me with Krystal?"

"Hm? Help you how?"

"Can you like.. persuade her not to do stupid things? You know, reckless things that could jeopardize her career or.. get her into trouble with the company." Jessica asked hesitantly. She was tired arguing with Krystal about this thing over and over again. If her sister felt more comfortable talking to Klaire instead, then she should turn this into her advantage.

To her surprise, Klaire let out a dry laugh. "I don't think I can do that. Not when people around me told me the same thing. You, yourself, have probably told me something along those lines as well, unnie." 

Jessica groaned. "Urgh, I changed my mind. I think it's better if you two stay away from each other and stop giving bad influence to one another." She said while putting a pillow behind her back for a support as she leaned onto the her bed's headboard.

"You don't have to worry. She's a smart kid." Klaire said, her tone getting serious. "She's just trying to get things out of her system. She needed that; to rant, to show the world what she thinks. I honestly think it's much healthier that way than to bottle things up inside."

Jessica was about to protest but Klaire cut her, "I know it may seemed stupid or reckless but.. I can see why it's important for her. It when you can't show people how you really feel. I know because I'm experiencing it firsthand; this thing we're doing, pretending like we're not friends anymore in public.. it's.." She let out a long sigh, couldn't seem to finish her train of thoughts.

"Klaire..' 

"Anyway," Klaire cut her again. "Is your stylist looking for more clients? Because I want her."

Jessica couldn't help but rolled her eyes. Slightly appreciating Klaire's way of changing the subject before it could turn into another argument.

"Nope, she's booked and busy." Jessica simply answered.

"Urgh, sharing is caring, unnie. While you're going around being pretty, I'm stuck with the devil." Klaire whined.

Jessica laughed out loud. The devil mentioned was Girls' Generation's stylist, who, despite a talented one, sometimes had questionable choices and the girls often suffered from it. "Hey, don't be mean. The devil has good taste too.. sometimes." She said, still couldn't stop laughing.

"Sometimes, that's the keyword!" Klaire pointed out. "I'll never forget how she made us wear those pink monstrosity for our concert. That was a disaster. I still have Soonkyu unnie's picture on my phone. I whipped it out sometimes just to piss her off." Klaire giggled at the thought.

"Wait, let me send it to you." Jessica heard Klaire said. A few seconds later her phone vibrated, the application notifying her of an incoming photo file from Klaire. Jessica cackled when she saw the picture. As much as she hated her own ensemble, she had to admit that Sunny was the biggest victim that day.

When they were both done laughing, Jessica warned her, albeit making sure her tone wasn't too threatening and unfriendly. "Klaire, don't send her picture to me."

Jessica could hear Klaire gulped before softly muttering 'Sorry'. She smiled, quickly taking charge in changing the subject into something else before Klaire had to.

-

23 August 2015

"!" Jessica cursed when her stylist slash best friend accidentally spilled some iced tea on her jeans. She covered and quickly looked around the airport boarding room to see if anyone heard her cursing. Luckily they were situated at the corner and a few businessmen sitting near them were either busy typing on their phones and laptops or had their ears stuffed with earphones.

"Oops, sorry!